Christmas Sugar Cookies

Christmas cookies are a wonderful gift to give to loved ones. They look beautiful decorated on a platter and gifted in baskets. The glaze sets hard and the cookies can be stacked once they’re set.

Ingredients –

• 1 cup butter (preferably unsalted)
• 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Method –

• Preheat the oven to 180 C and line two baking sheets with parchment or butter paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar till light and fluffy, using a hand mixer.
• Add in the vanilla and almond extract and beat it for two more minutes.
• Add the milk and beat for an additional minute, until it is completely incorporated.
• Add the flour in 3 batches of ½ cup each.
• Beat until the flour is incorporated entirely.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for ½ an hour, until it is firm.
• Sprinkle the counter with flour before rolling out the dough until it is 1/4th of an inch thick.
• Dip each cookie cutter lightly in flour cut out the cookies from the dough.
• Lay them on the tray and bake for 7-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.
• Transfer the cookies to a rack, until they’re cool.

GLAZE FOR THE COOKIES

Ingredients -

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 6 teaspoons milk
• 4 teaspoons corn syrup
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Food colouring of choice

Method –

• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
• Gently stir in the milk and corn syrup.
• Stir until it is smooth and add the lemon juice.
• Separate the icing into different bowls if you’re using multiple colours.
• Add a few drops of food colouring to achieve the colour you want.
• Dip the front of each cookie gently over the top of the icing to get a smooth layer.
• Smooth over any bumps with a pallet knife.
• Sprinkle over decorations if you like.